Episode Summary:

In this episode of Coach's Corner, Coaches Justin and Katie discuss the challenges faced after completing a marathon, including physical recovery, emotional struggles, and the importance of finding motivation to train again. They share personal experiences and insights on how to navigate the post-race blues, the significance of reflection, and the role of support in the recovery process. The conversation emphasizes the need to be kind to oneself during this time and explores the idea of exploring new opportunities in training.

Episode Takeaways

• Post-marathon recovery can be challenging both physically and emotionally.
• Many athletes experience a lack of motivation after completing a significant race.
• It's important to listen to your body and take necessary recovery time.
• Finding a supportive community or mentor can help during recovery.
• Reflection on past races can provide valuable insights for future training.
• Building back fitness should be approached gradually and with patience.
• Setting new goals can help reignite motivation after a race.
• It's essential to focus on the process rather than just the outcome.
• Exploring different training methods can provide a refreshing change.
• Self-talk plays a crucial role in maintaining a positive mindset during recovery.

In this episode of the Endurance Athlete Journey podcast, Coaches Justin and Katie delve into the critical topic of heat training for endurance athletes. They discuss the physiological effects of heat on the body, the importance of hydration and electrolyte balance, and the individual factors that influence heat tolerance. The conversation emphasizes the need for acclimatization, adjusting training expectations, and recognizing the risks associated with heat training, including heat-related illnesses.

Listeners are provided with practical strategies for safely training in hot conditions and optimizing performance during the summer months. In this conversation, Coaches Katie and Justin delve into the critical aspects of hydration and heat acclimation for athletes. They discuss the importance of electrolytes, effective hydration strategies during training, and the mental challenges posed by heat. The coaches emphasize the need for athletes to adjust their expectations and training plans when facing high temperatures, as well as the benefits of heat training for performance enhancement. They also share practical tips for managing hydration and cooling strategies during workouts.

Katie and Justin completed their A races for the season, and this is the race recap episode. This episode includes a long discussion with some of the following topics:

• Katie shares a recap of her recent marathon including the week leading up to the race, the few days prior the race, the race details, and how she is recovering post-race
• Katie shares what went well and what she struggled with prior to the race and during the race. This includes details on how she fueled pre-race and during the race. She also struggled a bit with sleep prior to the race, which may have had a slight impact on her race.
• Justin talks about his recent Olympic distance triathlon, including a bit about his pre-race details including fueling and what happened during the race and his recovery post-race.
• Justin shares some of the struggles with weather prior to the race including the shortened swim and how he adapted to these changes. He also discussed what went well during the race and some of his struggles, particularly during the run portion of the race.
• At the end both Justin and Katie share what is up next and why it is important to take a step back from intensive training and focus on the basics for a bit before diving back into another race

This is a race recap episode but there are likely some nuggets of wisdom and some things you may find relatable about Katie and Justin's race recap. As always feel free to follow us on Instagram or on Facebook @theenduranceathletejourney. If you would like to join our community on Facebook, you can do this by going to our group @theenduranceathletejourneygroup.

If you would like to see more in-depth analysis from Coach Justin's races, you can download his after race debrief reports. These reports have more insight into his training along with his breakdown of the race and a peek into what he is focusing on post-race. These reports are in the Coach's Corner Library (at the bottom of the page) on Tabula Rasa Racing website:

https://tabularasaracing.com/coachs-corner-library